South Carolina General Assembly
117th Session, 2007-2008

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Bill 3422

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COMMITTEE REPORT

February 8, 2007

H. 3422

Introduced by Reps. Cooper and Kirsh

S. Printed 2/8/07--H.

Read the first time February 1, 2007.

            

THE COMMITTEE ON WAYS AND MEANS

To whom was referred a Bill (H. 3422) to amend Sections 11-11-155 and 11-11-156, Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, relating to the Homestead Exemption Fund and the manner, etc., respectfully

REPORT:

That they have duly and carefully considered the same and recommend that the same do pass with amendment:

Amend the bill, as and if amended, in Section 11-11-156(A), as contained in SECTION 2, beginning on page 3, by striking item (1) and inserting:

/ (1)    Beginning with fiscal year 2007-2008, school districts of this State must be reimbursed from the Homestead Exemption Fund in the manner provided in this subsection. The Comptroller General shall pay these reimbursements upon application of the school district and the The reimbursements reimbursement due a school district for fiscal year 2007-2008 and thereafter shall be equal to the amount estimated to be collected or reimbursed in fiscal year 2007-2008 by the district from school operating millage imposed on owner-occupied residential property therein consists of three tiers. The tier one reimbursement is an amount equal to the amount received by the district pursuant to the provisions of Section 12-37-251 as those provisions applied for fiscal year 2006-2007. The tier one reimbursement is fixed at the fiscal year 2006-2007 amount and continues into succeeding fiscal years at this fixed amount. The tier two reimbursement is the amount to be received by the district pursuant to the provisions of Section 12-37-270 for fiscal year 2006-2007 for the school operating millage portion of the reimbursement for the homestead exemption allowed pursuant to Section 12-37-250. The tier two reimbursement is fixed at this fiscal year 2006-2007 amount and continues into succeeding fiscal years at this fixed amount. The tier three reimbursement is derived from the revenue of the tax imposed pursuant to Article 11, Chapter 36 of Title 12, and for fiscal year 2007-2008, consists of an amount equal dollar for dollar to the revenue that would be collected by the district from property tax for school operating purposes imposed by the district on owner-occupied residential property for that fiscal year as if no reimbursed exemptions applied, plus an amount that a district may have received in its fiscal year 2006-2007 reimbursements pursuant to Section 12-37-251 in excess of the computed amount of that exemption from school operating millage for that year, reduced by the total of the district's tier one and tier two reimbursements. /

Amend further, as and if amended, beginning on page 7, in SECTION 3, by striking subsection A. and inserting:

/ A.    Subsections (A) and (E) of Section 6-1-320 of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Act 388 of 2006, are amended to read:

"(A)    Notwithstanding Section 12-37-251(E), a local governing body may increase the millage rate imposed for general operating purposes above the rate imposed for such purposes for the preceding tax year only to the extent of the increase in the average of the twelve monthly consumer price indexes indices for the most recent twelve-month period consisting of January through December of the preceding calendar year, plus, beginning in 2007, the percentage increase in the previous year in the population of the entity as determined by the Office of Research and Statistics of the State Budget and Control Board. If the average of the twelve monthly consumer price indices experiences a negative percentage, the average is deemed to be zero. If an entity experiences a reduction in population, the percentage change in population is deemed to be zero. However, in the year in which a reassessment program is implemented, the rollback millage, as calculated pursuant to Section 12-37-251(E), must be used in lieu of the previous year's millage rate.

(E)    Notwithstanding any provision contained herein in this article, this article does not and may not be construed to amend or to repeal the rights of a legislative delegation to set or restrict school district millage, and this article does not and may not be construed to amend or to repeal any caps on school millage provided by current law or statute or limitation on the fiscal autonomy of a school district as currently in existing law that are more restrictive than the limit provided pursuant to subsection (A) of this section." /

Amend further, page 15, by striking SECTION 5 and inserting:

/SECTION    5.    A.    Section 6-1-50, as last amended by Act 388 of 2006, is further amended to read:

"Section 6-1-50.    Counties and municipalities receiving revenues from state aid, currently known as Aid to Subdivisions, shall submit annually to the State Budget and Control Board, Office of Research and Statistics, Economic Research Section, a financial report detailing their sources of revenue, expenditures by category, indebtedness, and other information as the State Budget and Control Board, Office of Research and Statistics, Economic Research Section, requires. The State Budget and Control Board, Office of Research and Statistics, Economic Research Section, shall determine the content and format of the annual financial report. The financial report for the most recently completed fiscal year must be submitted to the State Budget and Control Board, Office of Research and Statistics, Economic Research Section, by November January fifteenth of each year. If an entity fails to file the financial report by November January fifteenth, then the chief administrative officer of the entity shall be notified in writing that the entity has thirty days to comply with the requirements of this section. The Director of the Office of Research and Statistics may, for good cause, grant a local entity an extension of time to file the annual financial report. Notification by the Director of the Office of Research and Statistics to the Comptroller General that an entity has failed to file the annual financial report thirty days after written notification to the chief administrative officer of the entity must result in the withholding of ten percent of subsequent payments of state aid to the entity until the report is filed. The State Budget and Control Board, Office of Research and Statistics, Economic Research Section, is responsible for collecting, maintaining, and compiling the financial data provided by counties and municipalities in the annual financial report required by this section."

B.    Notwithstanding the general effective date provided in this act, this section takes effect upon approval of this act by the Governor.

SECTION    6.    This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor. /

Renumber sections to conform.

Amend title to conform.

DANIEL T. COOPER for Committee.

            

A BILL

TO AMEND SECTIONS 11-11-155 AND 11-11-156, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO THE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION FUND AND THE MANNER IN WHICH THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS OF THE STATE RECEIVE REVENUES FROM THE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION FUND, SO AS TO CLARIFY THE METHOD OF DETERMINING AND CALCULATING THESE PAYMENTS, PROVIDING THE SCHEDULE OF THE PAYMENTS TO SCHOOL DISTRICTS, SPECIFYING THE SOURCE OF THE TWO AND ONE-HALF MILLION DOLLAR MINIMUM PAYMENT TO A COUNTY FOR SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN THE COUNTY, AND SPECIFYING WHEN A REMAINING BALANCE IN THE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION FUND IS REMITTED TO COUNTIES FOR PURPOSES OF THE COUNTY OPERATING MILLAGE PROPERTY TAX CREDIT FOR OWNER-OCCUPIED RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY; TO AMEND SECTION 6-1-320, AS AMENDED, RELATING TO THE LIMIT ON PROPERTY TAX MILLAGE INCREASES, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT A REDUCTION IN POPULATION DOES NOT DECREASE THE APPLICABLE LIMIT; TO AMEND SECTION 12-37-670, AS AMENDED, RELATING TO THE OPTIONAL ACCELERATION OF LISTING REAL PROPERTY FOR PROPERTY TAX, SO AS TO CORRECT A REFERENCE; TO AMEND SECTIONS 12-37-3130 AND 12-37-3150, RELATING TO DEFINITIONS AND ASSESSABLE TRANSFERS OF INTEREST FOR PURPOSES OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA REAL PROPERTY VALUATION REFORM ACT, SO AS TO REVISE THE DEFINITION OF "CONVEYANCE" AND PROVIDE THAT TRANSFERS OCCUR WHEN INSTRUMENTS ARE EXECUTED WITHOUT REFERENCE TO THE DATE OF RECORDING AND TO PROVIDE THAT FAILURE TO RECORD GIVES RISE TO NO INFERENCE OR TO WHETHER OR NOT A TRANSFER HAS OCCURRED; TO AMEND SECTION 12-43-220, AS AMENDED, RELATING TO CLASSIFICATION AND ASSESSMENT OF PROPERTY FOR PURPOSES OF PROPERTY TAX, SO AS TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS TO OBTAIN THE SPECIAL FOUR PERCENT ASSESSMENT RATIO FOR OWNER-OCCUPIED RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY, TO PROVIDE PERIODIC REAPPLICATION AS THE ASSESSOR DETERMINES NECESSARY, TO REVISE THE APPLICATION OF A PROVISION OF THE INTERNAL REVENUE CODE OF 1986 USED IN DETERMINING WHETHER OR NOT RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY QUALIFIES FOR THE FOUR PERCENT ASSESSMENT RATIO, AND TO REVISE THE PENALTY FOR FAILURE TO TIMELY NOTIFY THE ASSESSOR WHEN REAL PROPERTY NO LONGER QUALIFIES FOR THIS SPECIAL ASSESSMENT RATIO; TO AMEND SECTION 12-51-50, AS AMENDED, AND SECTION 12-51-70, RELATING TO DELINQUENT TAX SALES, SO AS TO REPLACE THE REFERENCE TO LEGAL SALES DATE WITH THE ADVERTISED DATE FOR THE SALE AND INCREASE FROM THREE HUNDRED TO ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS THE MAXIMUM PENALTY FOR DEFAULTING ON A TAX SALE BID; TO AMEND SECTION 12-54-240, AS AMENDED, RELATING TO THE OFFENSE OF DISCLOSURE OF TAX INFORMATION, SO AS TO REVISE AN EXEMPTION TO THIS OFFENSE; TO AMEND SECTION 12-60-2510, AS AMENDED, RELATING TO PROPERTY TAX APPEALS, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT IN NONREASSESSMENT YEARS, AN APPEAL MADE BEFORE THE FIRST PENALTY DATE FOR TAXES FOR THE YEAR APPLIES FOR THAT YEAR AND AN APPEAL FILED ON OR AFTER THAT DATE APPLIES FOR THE NEXT YEAR; TO AMEND SECTION 12-6-40, AS AMENDED, RELATING TO DEFINITIONS FOR PURPOSES OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA INCOME TAX ACT, SO AS TO UPDATE THE DATE BY WHICH THIS STATE ADOPTS BY REFERENCE VARIOUS PROVISIONS OF THE INTERNAL REVENUE CODE OF 1986; AND TO AMEND SECTION 12-36-2120, AS AMENDED, RELATING TO SALES TAX EXEMPTIONS, SO AS TO ALLOW A SALES TAX EXEMPTION FOR AN AMUSEMENT PARK RIDE AND ANY PARTS, MACHINERY, AND EQUIPMENT USED TO ASSEMBLE AND MAKE UP AN AMUSEMENT PARK RIDE OR PERFORMANCE VENUE FACILITY AND ANY RELATED OR REQUIRED MACHINERY, EQUIPMENT, AND FIXTURES LOCATED IN AN AMUSEMENT PARK OR THEME PARK THAT MEETS CERTAIN INVESTMENT AND EMPLOYMENT QUALIFICATIONS.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION    1.    Section 11-11-155(C)    of the 1976 Code, as added by Act 388 of 2006, is amended to read:

"(C)    Subject to the provisions of Section 11-11-156(C), an unexpended balance in the Homestead Exemption Fund at the end of a fiscal year must remain in the Homestead Exemption Fund."

SECTION    2.    Section 11-11-156 of the 1976 Code, as added by Act 388 of 2006, is amended to read:

"Section 11-11-156.    (A)(1)    Beginning with fiscal year 2007-2008, school districts of this State must be reimbursed from the Homestead Exemption Fund in the manner provided in this subsection. The Comptroller General shall pay these reimbursements upon application of the school district and the The reimbursements reimbursement due a school district for fiscal year 2007-2008 and thereafter shall be equal to the amount estimated to be collected or reimbursed in fiscal year 2007-2008 by the district from school operating millage imposed on owner-occupied residential property therein consists of three tiers. The tier one reimbursement is an amount equal to the amount received by the district pursuant to the provisions of Section 12-37-251 as those provisions applied for fiscal year 2006-2007. The tier one reimbursement is fixed at the fiscal year 2006-2007 amount and continues into succeeding fiscal years at this fixed amount. The tier two reimbursement is the amount to be received by the district pursuant to the provisions of Section 12-37-270 for fiscal year 2006-2007 for the school operating millage portion of the reimbursement for the homestead exemption allowed pursuant to Section 12-37-250. The tier two reimbursement is fixed at this fiscal year 2006-2007 amount and continues into succeeding fiscal years at this fixed amount. The tier three reimbursement is derived from the revenue of the tax imposed pursuant to Article 11, Chapter 36 of Title 12, and for fiscal year 2007-2008, consists of an amount equal dollar for dollar to the revenue that would be collected by the district from property tax for school operating purposes imposed by the district on owner-occupied residential property for fiscal year 2007-2008 as if no reimbursed exemptions applied, reduced by the district's total tier one and tier two reimbursements.

(2)    Beginning in fiscal year 2008-2009 a school district shall receive in reimbursements the total of what it received in fiscal year 2007-2008 plus the third tier reimbursement increases provided for in item (3). The third tier reimbursement increases of the several school districts as provided in item (3) for any year shall must be aggregated and the reimbursement increase a particular school district shall receive for that year shall must be equal to an amount that is the school district's proportionate share of such funds based on the district's weighted pupil units as a percentage of statewide weighted pupil units as determined annually pursuant to the Education Finance Act. For purposes of the reimbursement increases school districts receive under this subsection based on weighted pupil units determined pursuant to the Education Finance Act, an additional add-on weighting for students in poverty of 0.20 shall must be included in the weightings provided in Section 59-20-40(1)(c) of the 1976 Code. The weighting for poverty shall provide additional revenues for students in kindergarten through grade twelve who qualify for Medicaid or who qualify for reduced or free lunches, or both. Revenues generated by this weighting must be used by districts and schools to provide services and research-based strategies for addressing academic or health needs of these students to ensure their future academic success, to provide summer school, reduced class size, after school programs, extended day, instructional materials, or any other research-based educational strategy to improve student academic performance.

(3)    Beginning with the fiscal year 2008-2009 reimbursements, these third tier reimbursements must be increased on an annual basis by an inflation factor equal to the percentage increase in the previous year of the Consumer Price Index, Southeast Region, as published by the United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics plus the percentage increase in the previous year in the population of the State as determined by the Office of Research and Statistics of the State Budget and Control Board. Distribution of these reimbursement increases shall must be as provided in this subsection.

(4)    The percentage of population growth in any year for any school district entitled to reimbursements from the Homestead Exemption Fund shall must be based on estimates for such growth in the county wherein the school district is located as determined by the Office of Research and Statistics of the State Budget and Control Board. Where the school district encompasses areas in more than one county, the population growth in that entity shall must be the average of the growth in each county weighted to reflect the existing population of the school district in that county as compared to the existing population of the school district as a whole.

(5)    Upon the beginning of reimbursements for a particular year, the reimbursements must be paid to a school district on or after January first of that year. (a)    No later than December thirty-first of each year, the Office of Research and Statistics of the State Budget and Control Board shall provide each school district with a preliminary estimate of the district's reimbursements from the Homestead Exemption Fund for the fiscal year beginning the following July first. A final estimate must be provided to each district by February fifteenth. The February fifteenth forecast may be adjusted if the Office of Research and Statistics determines that changing conditions have affected the forecast.

(b)    The Department of Revenue shall pay the reimbursements provided pursuant to this subsection to the county treasurer for the credit of each school district in the county. The reimbursement must be paid on the application of the county treasurer according to the following schedule:

(i)        ninety percent of the tier one reimbursement must be paid in the last quarter of the calendar year no later than December first. The balance of the tier one reimbursement must be paid in the last quarter of the fiscal year that ends June thirtieth following the first tier one reimbursement date;

(ii)    tier two reimbursements must be paid on the same schedule as the second tier one reimbursement;

(iii)    tier three reimbursements must be paid in nine equal monthly installments based on one-tenth of the Office of Research and Statistics estimate, beginning not later than October fifteenth. A final adjustment balance payment must be made before the closing of the state's books for the fiscal year.

(6)    To the extent revenues in the Homestead Exemption Fund are insufficient to pay all reimbursements to a school district required by this subsection (A) and subsection (B), the difference must be paid from the state general fund.

(7)    Operating millage levied in a county for alternative schools, career and technology centers, and county boards of education whether or not levied countywide or on a school district by school district basis in a county also is considered school operating millage to which the reimbursements provided for in this section apply.

(8)    Reimbursements to a school district under this subsection shall must be considered in the computation of the required Education Improvement Act maintenance of local effort.

(B)(1)    After the required reimbursements to school districts in a county have been made from the Homestead Exemption Fund for any year pursuant to subsection (A), a county, if the districts therein in that county have not together received a total of at least two million five hundred thousand dollars in third tier reimbursements, the county must receive an additional disbursement from the Homestead Exemption Fund to bring the total reimbursements to the districts in that county to at least two million five hundred thousand dollars. This additional disbursement shall must be paid to the county for disbursement to the school districts located within that county. These distributions under this subsection to any district in the county shall must be equal to the one hundred thirty-five day average daily membership of the district divided by the total average daily membership of all students in the districts in the county times the required amount of funds to bring the total reimbursements to the school districts in that county to at least two million five hundred thousand dollars.

(2)    If a school district encompasses more than one county, the one hundred thirty-five day average daily membership of the students from that county attending schools of the district must be used to compute the distributions required by this subsection.

(3)    The distributions to a county and then to a school district under this subsection shall must be considered to be outside of the Education Finance Act and shall must not be considered when computing the maintenance of local effort required of that district under the Education Improvement Act.

(C)    The When determined, any balance in the Homestead Exemption Fund remaining at the end of a fiscal year after the payments to school districts and counties pursuant to subsections (A) and (B) of this section must be segregated within the Homestead Exemption Trust Fund and remitted in the next fiscal year to counties in the proportion that the population of the county is to the total population of the State. Population data must be as determined in the decennial United States Census and the most recent update to that data as determined by the Office of Research and Statistics of the State Budget and Control Board. Revenues received by the county must be used to provide a property tax credit against the property tax liability for county operations on owner-occupied residential property classified for property tax purposes pursuant to Section 12-43-220(c). The credit is an amount determined by dividing the total estimated revenues credited to the county during the applicable fiscal year by the number of parcels in the county eligible for the credit. Credit that exceeds the tax due on a parcel must be reallocated in a uniform amount to remaining parcels with a property tax liability for county operations. The distributions under this subsection are not an obligation of the state general fund if sufficient funds are not available to make such distributions from the Homestead Exemption Fund.

(D)    Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, the reimbursements provided pursuant to this section for the property tax exemption allowed by Section 12-37-220(B)(47) must include full payment to each taxing entity for the incremental property tax that, in the absence of such exemption, would otherwise be payable to such taxing entity with respect to owner-occupied residential real property located in a redevelopment project area pursuant to the tax increment financing law for cities, counties, or redevelopment authorities. Such payment for incremental property taxes shall be calculated in accordance with the applicable tax increment financing law and shall be based on the assessed value of, and the school operating millage rate otherwise applicable to, the owner-occupied residential property in question."

SECTION    3.    A.    Section 6-1-320(A) of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Act 388 of 2006, is further amended to read:

"(A)    Notwithstanding Section 12-37-251(E), a local governing body may increase the millage rate imposed for general operating purposes above the rate imposed for such purposes for the preceding tax year only to the extent of the increase in the average of the twelve monthly consumer price indexes indices for the most recent twelve-month period consisting of January through December of the preceding calendar year, plus, beginning in 2007, the percentage increase in the previous year in the population of the entity as determined by the Office of Research and Statistics of the State Budget and Control Board. If an entity experiences a reduction in population, the percentage change in population is deemed to be zero. However, in the year in which a reassessment program is implemented, the rollback millage, as calculated pursuant to Section 12-37-251(E), must be used in lieu of the previous year's millage rate."

B.    Section 12-37-670(B) of the 1976 Code, as amended by Act 388 of 2006, is further amended to read:

"(B)(1)    Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (A), a county governing body may by ordinance provide that an owner of land on which a new structure has been erected and that has not been appraised for taxation shall list the new structure for taxation with the county auditor assessor of the county in which it is located by the first day of the next month after a certificate of occupancy is issued for the structure. A new structure must not be listed or assessed until it is completed and fit for the use for which it is intended, as evidenced by the issuance of the certificate of occupancy.

(2)    Additional property tax attributable to improvements listed with the county auditor assessor on or before June thirtieth is due for the period from July first to December thirty-first for that property year, and payable when taxes are due on the property for that property tax year. Additional property tax attributable to improvements listed with the county auditor assessor after June thirtieth of the property tax year is due and payable when taxes are due on the property for the next property tax year.

(3)    If a county governing body elects by ordinance to impose the provisions of this subsection, this election is also binding on all municipalities within the county imposing ad valorem property taxes."

C.    Section 12-37-3130(7) of the 1976 Code, as added by Act 388 of 2006, is amended to read:

"(7)    'Conveyance' means the date the instrument of record of an assessable transfer of interest in real property is recorded by the Clerk of Court or Register of Deeds in the county where the real property is located executed."

D.    Section 12-37-3150(A) of the 1976 Code, as added by Act 388 of 2006, is amended by adding a paragraph at the end to read:

"An assessable transfer of interest resulting in the appraisal required pursuant to this section occurs at the time of execution of the instruments directly resulting in the transfer of interest and without regard as to whether or not the applicable instruments are recorded. Failure to record instruments resulting in a transfer of interest gives rise to no inference as to whether or not an assessable transfer of interest has occurred."

E.    Section 12-43-220(c) of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Act 145 of 2005, is further amended to read:

"(c)(1)    The legal residence and not more than five acres contiguous thereto, when owned totally or in part in fee or by life estate and occupied by the owner of the interest, and additional dwellings located on the same property and occupied by immediate family members of the owner of the interest, are taxed on an assessment equal to four percent of the fair market value of the property. If residential real property is held in trust and the income beneficiary of the trust occupies the property as a residence, then the assessment ratio allowed by this item applies if the trustee certifies to the assessor that the property is occupied as a residence by the income beneficiary of the trust. When the legal residence is located on leased or rented property and the residence is owned and occupied by the owner of a residence on leased property, even though at the end of the lease period the lessor becomes the owner of the residence, the assessment for the residence is at the same ratio as provided in this item. If the lessee of property upon which he has located his legal residence is liable for taxes on the leased property, then the property upon which he is liable for taxes, not to exceed five acres contiguous to his legal residence, must be assessed at the same ratio provided in this item. If this property has located on it any rented mobile homes or residences which are rented or any business for profit, this four percent value does not apply to those businesses or rental properties. For purposes of the assessment ratio allowed pursuant to this item, a residence does not qualify as a legal residence unless the residence is determined to be the domicile of the owner-applicant.

(2)(i)    To qualify for the special property tax assessment ratio allowed by this item, the owner-occupant must have actually owned and occupied the residence as his legal residence and been domiciled at that address for some period during the applicable tax year. A residence which has been qualified as a legal residence for any part of the year is entitled to the four percent assessment ratio provided in this item for the entire year, for the exemption from property taxes levied for school operations pursuant to Section 12-37-251 for the entire year, and for the homestead exemption under Section 12-37-250, if otherwise eligible, for the entire year.

(ii)    This item does not apply unless the owner of the property or the owner's agent applies for the four percent assessment ratio before the first penalty date for the payment of taxes for the tax year for which the owner first claims eligibility for this assessment ratio. In the application the owner or his agent must shall certify to the following statement:

'Under penalty of perjurySubject to the penalties imposed pursuant to subsubitem (vii) of this subitem I certify that:

(A)    the residence which is the subject of this application is my legal residence and where I am domiciled at the time of this application and that I do not claim to be a legal resident of a jurisdiction other than South Carolina for any purpose; and

(B)    neither I nor any other member of my household is residing in or occupying any other residence which I or any member of my immediate family household has qualified for the special assessment ratio allowed by this section;

(C)    neither I nor any member of my household claims or is allowed a residency-based tax treatment in another state; and

(D)    if I file or were required to file a state income tax return, that return is or would be the South Carolina income tax form for a resident individual.'

(iii)    For purposes of subitem subsubitems (ii)(B) and (C) of this item, 'a member of my household' means:

(A)    the owner-occupant's spouse, except when that spouse is legally separated from the owner-occupant; and

(B)    any child of the owner-occupant claimed or eligible to be claimed as a dependent on the owner-occupant's federal income tax return.

(iv)    In addition to the certification, the burden of proof for eligibility for the four percent assessment ratio is on the owner-occupant and the applicant must provide proof the assessor requires including, but not limited to:

(A)    a copy of the owner-occupant's most recently filed South Carolina individual income tax return;

(B)    copies of South Carolina motor vehicle registrations for all motor vehicles registered in the name of the owner-occupant;

(C)    other proof required by the assessor necessary to determine eligibility for the assessment ratio allowed by this item.

If the assessor determines the owner-occupant ineligible, the six percent property tax assessment ratio applies and the owner-occupant may appeal the classification as provided in Chapter 60 of this title.

(v)    A member of the armed forces of the United States on active duty who is a legal resident of and domiciled in another state is nevertheless deemed a legal resident and domiciled in this State for purposes of this item if the members permanent duty station is in this State. A copy of the member's orders filed with the assessor is considered proof sufficient of the member's permanent duty station.

(vi)    NoExcept as otherwise provided in this subsubitem, no further applications are necessary from the current owner while the property for which the initial application was made continues to meet the eligibility requirements. If a change in ownership or use occurs, the owner who had qualified for the special assessment ratio allowed by this section shall notify the assessor of the change in classification within six months of the change. Another application is required by the new owner to qualify the residence for future years for the four percent assessment ratio allowed by this section. The assessor may require reapplication countywide or in some portion of the county, as he determines necessary. However, no such reapplication may be required more than once every three years.

(vii)    If a person signs the certification, obtains the four percent assessment ratio, and later is thereafter found not eligible, or thereafter loses eligibility and fails to notify the assessor within six months, in lieu of any other penalties, a penalty is imposed equal to twenty-five percent of the amount of the underpayment equal to one hundred percent of the tax paid, plus interest on that amount at the rate of one-half of one percent a month, but in no case less than thirty dollars nor more than the current year's taxes. This penalty and any interest areis considered ad valorem taxes due on the property for purposes of collection and enforcement.

(viii) Failure to file within the prescribed time constitutes abandonment of the owner's right for this classification for the current tax year, but the local taxing authority may extend the time for filing upon a showing satisfactory to it that the person had reasonable cause for not filing before the first penalty date.

(3)    Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a taxpayer may apply for a refund of property taxes overpaid because the property was eligible for the legal residence assessment ratio. The application must be made in accordance with Section 12-60-2560. The taxpayer must establish that the property in question was in fact his legal residence and where he was domiciled. A county council, by ordinance, may allow refunds for the county government portion of property taxes for such additional past years as it determines advisable.

(4)    A legal residence qualifying for the four percent assessment ratio provided by this item must have an assessed value of not less than one hundred dollars.

(5)    To qualify for the four percent assessment ratio, the owner-occupant of a legal residence that is being purchased under a contract for sale or a bond for title must record the contract for sale or the bond for title in the office of the register of mesne conveyances or the clerk of court in those counties where the office of the register of mesne conveyances has been abolished.

For purposes of this subsection, a contract for sale or a bond for title is the sale of real property by a seller, who finances the sale and retains title to the property solely as security for the debt.

(6)    Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a purchaser who purchases a residential property intending that the property shall become the purchaser's primary residence, but subject to vacation rentals as provided for in Title 27, Chapter 50, Article 2 for no longer than ninety days, may apply for the four percent assessment ratio when the purchaser actually occupies the property. If the owner actually occupies the residence within ninety days of acquiring ownership, the four percent assessment ratio, if the owner is otherwise qualified, applies retroactively to the date ownership was acquired.

(7)    Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the owner-occupant of a legal residence is not disqualified from receiving the four percent assessment ratio allowed by this item if the taxpayer's residence meets the requirements of and does not exceed the time period specified in Internal Revenue Code Section 280A(g) as defined in Section 12-6-40(A) and the taxpayer otherwise is eligible to receive the four percent assessment ratio."

F.    Section 12-51-50 of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Act 399 of 2000, is further amended to read:

"Section 12-51-50.    The property duly advertised must be sold, by the person officially charged with the collection of delinquent taxes, at public auction at the courthouse or other convenient place within the county, if designated and advertised, on a legal salesthe advertised date during regular hours between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. for legal tender payable in full by cash, cashier's check, certified check, or money order on the date of the sale. If the defaulting taxpayer or the grantee of record of the property has more than one item advertised to be sold, as soon as sufficient funds have been accrued to cover all of the delinquent taxes, assessments, penalties, and costs, further items may not be sold."

G.    Section 12-51-70 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

"Section 12-51-70.    In caseIf the successful bidder fails to remit in legal tender within the time specified, the person officially charged with the collection of delinquent taxes shall cancel that bid and duly readvertise the same property for sale, in the same manner, on a subsequent delinquent tax sale date. The defaulting bidder is liable for no more than three hundredone thousand dollars damages upon default, which may be collected by suit by the person officially charged with the collection of delinquent taxes in the name of the taxing authority."

H.    Section 12-54-240(B)(12)(a) of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Act 145 of 2005, is further amended to read:

"(a)    a disclosure to a state agency, county auditor, or county assessor of whether a resident or nonresident tax return was filed by a particular taxpayer and the address of the taxpayer, whether the return is joint or individual, the name of any taxpayer filing jointly with the taxpayer, and what county code of residence is contained on the return."

I.    Section 12-60-2510(4) of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Act 388 of 2006, is further amended to read:

"(4)    In years when there is no notice of property tax assessment, the property taxpayer must, within ninety days after the tax notice is mailed to the taxpayer, give the assessor written notice of objection to one or more of the following: may appeal the fair market value, the special use value, the assessment ratio, and the property tax assessment of a parcel of property at any time. The appeal must be submitted in writing to the assessor. An appeal submitted before the first penalty date applies for the property tax year for which that penalty would apply. An appeal submitted on or after the first penalty date applies for the succeeding property tax year. The failure to serve written notice of objection within ninety days after the tax notice is mailed to the taxpayer is a waiver of the taxpayer's right of protest for that tax year, and the assessor may not review any request filed after the ninetieth day that the tax notice was mailed to the taxpayer."

J.    Notwithstanding the general effective date of this act, subsections C. and D. of this section take effect upon ratification by the General Assembly of the amendment to the Constitution of this State proposed pursuant to Joint Resolution 402 of 2006 and apply for property tax years beginning after 2006. Subsection F. applies for property tax years beginning after 2007.

SECTION    4.    A.    Section 12-6-40(A)(1)(a) of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Act 386 of 2006, is further amended to read:

"(a)    Except as otherwise provided, 'Internal Revenue Code' means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended through December 31, 2005 2006, and includes the effective date provisions contained in it."

B.    Section 12-36-2120 of the 1976 Code, is amended by adding an appropriately numbered item at the end to read:

"( )    an amusement park ride and any parts, machinery, and equipment used to assemble, operate, and make up an amusement park ride or performance venue facility located in a qualifying amusement park or theme park and any related or required machinery, equipment, and fixtures located in the same qualifying amusement park or theme park.

(a)    To qualify for the exemption, the taxpayer shall meet the investment and job requirements provided in subsubitem (i) of subitem (b) over a five-year-period beginning on the date of the taxpayer's first use of this exemption. The taxpayer shall notify the Department of Revenue of its intent to qualify and use this exemption and upon receipt of the notification, the department shall issue an appropriate exemption certificate to the taxpayer to be used for qualifying purposes under this item. Within six months after the fifth anniversary of the taxpayer's first use of this exemption, the taxpayer shall notify the department, in writing, that it has or has not met the investment and job requirements of this item. If the taxpayer fails to meet the investment and job requirements, the taxpayer shall pay to the State the amount of the tax that would have been paid but for this exemption. The running of the periods of limitations for assessment of taxes provided in Section 12-54-85 is suspended for this time period beginning with the taxpayer's first use of this exemption and ending with notice to the department that the taxpayer has or has not met the investment and job requirements of this item.

(b)    For purposes of this item:

(i)     'Qualifying amusement park or theme park' means a park that is constructed and operated by a taxpayer who makes a capital investment of at least two hundred fifty million dollars at a single site and creates at least two hundred fifty full-time jobs and five hundred part-time or seasonal jobs.

(ii)    'Related or required machinery, equipment, and fixtures' means an ancillary apparatus used for or in conjunction with an amusement park ride or performance venue facility, or both, including, but not limited to, any foundation, safety fencing and equipment, ticketing, monitoring device, computer equipment, lighting, music equipment, stage, queue area, housing for a ride, electrical equipment, power transformers, and signage.

(iii)    'Performance venue facility' means a facility for a live performance, nonlive performance, including any animatronics and computer-generated performance, and firework, laser, or other pyrotechnic show.

(iv)    'Taxpayer' means a single taxpayer or, collectively, a group of one or more affiliated taxpayers. An 'affiliated taxpayer' means a person or entity related to the taxpayer that is subject to common operating control and that is operated as part of the same system or enterprise. The taxpayer is not required to own a majority of the voting stock of the affiliate."

C.    Notwithstanding the general effective date of this act, subsection B. of this section takes effect on the first day of the month succeeding the month in which this act is approved by the Governor.

SECTION    5.    This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

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